Learning Cut-Time

Well, we've had 9-weeks tests and watched West Side Story. So, I haven't updated much on the guitar. In our 30 Days to Music Theory Curriculum we're on Day 18 "Key Signatures" which means that we're about to have our second test on theory. We did rhythm first and now we're about to test on melody.

With guitar we're rockin' on with the first 3 strings (minus high G). The songs have more skips and we're playing songs like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Jingle Bells" in the key of G.

We're starting cut-time music in this band method that we're using. It's gotten me thinking about why there is so much cut time in band music. Sure, you find it in all kinds of music but in band you have a lot of it! I think it must be that it's just easier to read. Maybe it's easier than teaching so many eighth and sixteenth notes for beginning students. Maybe it's the march thing. I'll have to research that one.

Anyway, at this early stage, without eighth notes it's the only way to play songs like "Jingle Bells". It just doesn't sound the same if you play it with quarter notes.

I'm trying to get us to the point that we can play a couple of little Christmas ensemble pieces at the nursing home pretty soon.